1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to x-ray film cassette containers. More particularly, the apparatus of the present invention relates to a container for an industrial x-ray cassette adapted for adhering to surfaces, particularly non-ferrous surfaces through suction members.
2. General Background
In the field of radiographic photography, cassettes are widely used for holding the x-ray sensitive film. Particularly, in the field of industrial non-destructive testing, wherein welds between sections of pipe or metal plates, must be x-rayed in order to determine if the weld is proper, or if there is other fissures in the metal, the x-ray film is loaded into a cassette so that it will be placed in a light-free environment with the item to be x-rayed. It is imperative that the cassette's placement be proper, not to be adjusted by field personnel during the exposure.
In addressing the problems that are encountered in industrial x-raying, one of such problems has been addressed by applicant in a previous application, presently pending in the U.S. Patent Office, that is, the placement of an x-ray cassette along a metalic curvatured weld in order to determine if the weld is indeed free of flaws. Applicant solved this problem by inventing a flexible cassette, which could conform to the curved metal surface, while containing an x-ray film, and adhere to the metal surface through a plurality of magnetic means along its borders, wherein the flexible cassette could be placed in any position along a curvatured or vertical weld, and solved the problem of maintaining it in position during x-ray.
In other fields of industrial x-ray, often time lightweight metals, such as aluminum or the like, are utilized in metallic structures, particularly for example in the aviation industry, where the bodies of aircraft and the like are constructed of lightweight aluminum metal, or other non-ferrous metals, and are likewise welded. For safety requirements, these types of welds must also be industrially x-rayed in order to determine their quality. However, the apparatus which is the subject of the previous patent application of applicant, i.e., magnetic members in combination with a cassette, could not be utilized in this situation since there is no magnetic contact to a non-ferrous metal. Also, the present invention may be utilized on any type of surface, ferrous surfaces included.
Several patents have been obtained in the art of cassettes for x-ray film, the most pertinent being as follows:
German patent DE-PS No. 1,112,887, relates to a cassette incorporating a sheet of elastic material which exerts magnetic contraction forces over its entire area for cooperating with an iron foil supported on the bottom of the cassette. This particular cassette is disadvantageous in that the very thin foil, which serves as a medium to which x-rays enter the internal space of a cassette, has a thermal expansion coefficient differing from that of the components on which the foil is supported, and very often becomes detached from its support folds, especially under temperature variations.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,811,251 issued to S. Yerkovich entitled "Means for Holding Cassettes In X-Ray Spot Film Devices" relates to an apparatus for holding an article within an enclosure so that spot film devices can be utilized for rapidly making radiographs. This in no way relates to a magnetic means for maintaining the cassette in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,147 issued to Goodman, et al, entitled "Cassette for Radiographic Film Material", relates to a cassette wherein a sandwich-type film holder combination with the cassette main frame is taught and adapted to compress the film holder into a light-tight structure when assembled.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,990 issued to Hauss entitled "Radiographic Film Cassette having A Resilient Film Release Step Therein" provides a film package or cassette having a pair of opposed interfaces. A layer of resilient material is disposed on at least one of the opposed faces and a strip of resilient material, having a greater thickness than the layer is provided along at least a portion of one edge of the layer of material so that the film contained is released from the resilient material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,804 issued to Minasian entitled "Magnetically Attractive Marking Device And Holding Member For X-Ray File Holder" relates to a film holder having markers for producing identifying images on the negative, with the markers having strips of magnetic material with identifying stencil letters cut therein. This particular patent does not, however, teach adhering of the cassette to the material to be x-rayed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,369 issued to Paidosh entitled "X-Ray Film Cassette" teaches the use of an improved cassette for providing improved contact between the intensifying screen and the sensitized film.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,699 issued to Anspach, Jr. entitled "Holder For X-Ray Cassettes" teaches the use of a cassette holder for x-ray cassettes which can be made sterile and easily used in an operating room having means for sealing the inner side of the container cap to prevent contamination.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,470 issued to White entitled "X-Ray Cassette Film Holder" wherein the improvement is basically a means for providing the tray and the mating lid to be automatically urged into tight engagement when they are closed together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,044 issued to Chiulli entitled "Radiographic Cassette Adapter" wherein is provided a means for allowing a large x-ray film cassette holder to be fitted with the adapter for allowing the use of smaller film so that various sizes of cassettes are not necessitated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,538 issued to Bauer, et al, entitled "Film Cassette With An Opening For Exposing Data On A Film Accommodated Therein" provides a cassette particularly adapted with an enclosable opening through which data can be exposed onto a pre-determined portion of the film accommodated within an internal compartment of a cassette.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,236 isued to Bauer entitled "Container For X-Ray Film" having a first chamber for the film and a relatively narrow elongated second chamber for housing an elongated data carrier card, the two being separate and apart.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,248 issued to Bauer entitled "X-Ray Film Cassette with Magnetically Attracted Confining Plates" teaches the use of a cassette having two separate parts which are connected on one side by a hinge and which are connectable on the second end with a magnetic plate supported cassette wall and attracting a ferromagnetic foil for eliminating air inclusion between the intensifying shields and the x-ray film interposed therebetween. Although this patent does teach the use of a magnetic means within the cassette, it does not address the problem of the cassette being adhered to the object being x-rayed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,300 issued to Turner entitled "Film Sheet Cassette" relates to a frame wherein a pressure plate between the front and back plate is held in operative position by the force of magnetic repulsion by an array of magnetic poles between the plates. Again, like the previous patent, this patent does use magnetic means within the cassette but not means for adapting the cassette to the item being x-rayed.